


Watermelon Sugar

by FlavorofKylo



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe - College/University, Beards (Facial Hair), College Student Ben Solo, College Student Rey (Star Wars), Complete, Cunnilingus, Enthusiastic Consent, F/M, Facial Hair Kink, First Time, Fluffy Ending, He tries to be a mack but he's just too damn sweet, Idiots in Love, Loss of Virginity, Masturbation, No Pregnancy, Older Woman/Younger Man, Oral Sex, Pining, Praise Kink, Rey is a Sapiosexual, Romance, Roommates, Self-Esteem Issues, Sexual Tension, Shy Rey (Star Wars), Soft Ben Solo, Vaginal Fingering, Vibrators, Virgin Rey (Star Wars)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-01
Updated: 2021-02-01
Packaged: 2021-03-13 06:48:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28649307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlavorofKylo/pseuds/FlavorofKylo
Summary: This story was inspired by a prompt from a friend in FRW.  The collection is FRW Cherry Pop.Ben is a socially awkward undergrad, looking for a way to make a little extra cash. His buddy Poe comes up with a ridiculous idea.Rey happens to live in the same air bnb as Ben.  She's a little older than him, very shy and closed.  He starts to break down her walls slowly and discovers that they actually have a lot in common.It's not a true slow burn, but I wanted to at least give Rey some time to develop trust with Ben, since she really doesn't trust anybody at first.
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 25
Kudos: 162
Collections: FRW Cherry Pop Prompt Challenge, Just Tell Me You Love Me, Reylo Valentine’s 2021





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> "Tastes like srawberries on a summer evening  
> Baby, you're the end of June  
> I want your belly  
> And that summer feeling  
> Getting washed away in you
> 
> Breathe me in, breathe me out  
> I don't know if I could ever go without
> 
> Watermelon sugar high  
> Watermelon sugar high  
> Watermelon sugar high  
> Watermelon sugar high

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks as always to LadyofReylo for acting as Alpha and LexiRayne and Alicat114 for being such thorough betas. Any lingering errors are totally mine because I can't resist making last minute changes. ;)

Wednesday 12:42 pm

Campus coffee shop

Ben squinted down at the account balance leering back at him from his phone and sighed. He was down to his last $30 bucks, and that had to last him until Friday. It didn’t really matter much anyway; the minute his paycheck showed up it was mostly spent before he even touched it. Surviving on a minimal budget was definitely his least favorite part of being a college student.

He absolutely refused to take any more money from his mother, despite her repeated offers. There was a set amount deposited into his account each month specifically for rent. Aside from that he was determined to prove to his parents and himself that he could get through school with only minimal assistance from them. The partial STEM scholarship he had earned for Chandrila U was a huge help, but it didn’t cover everything. The small stipend he made from his Work Study in the bookstore helped somewhat, but car insurance was expensive and so was food.

Which left nothing if he wanted to take a girl out.

  
Not that he was doing much dating these days.

“Yo, what up, Ben?”

Poe blundered over and landed a resounding smack on Ben’s shoulder. He plunked down his extra-large coffee and flashed a handsome grin. Ben looked up and gave him a tight smile. Poe was on the football team, part of the school’s popular elite and not part of Ben’s usual (small) circle. But they had bonded as roommates in their first year and their friendship had survived well into the second, though by now Poe was living off campus.

Ben genuinely liked Poe. He was smarter than people gave him credit for and had an irreverent sense of humor. He was comfortable in his own skin, a quality that Ben would have called self-assured rather than arrogant, now that he knew him better. And although Ben was certainly team geek rather than jock, knowing Poe gave him an “in" with the in crowd, though he didn't much care.

Ben sighed. “I need a job. Or a Sugar Mama.”

“Well, if you can swing that, let me know! I’d like to get in on that action. Having some sexy cougar pay take care of me? Sign me up,” he barked.

“Too bad being a gigolo isn’t really a thing. You’d be perfect.”

Poe sipped his coffee. “Well, hey—maybe you can get a job stripping.”

Ben shot him a glare. “Get a life,” he muttered. “I need another job.”

Poe smirked, shaking his head as Ben continued to scroll through his emails. He stared at Ben for a long moment and then barked a laugh.

“Well, you are pretty well endowed, aren’t you? I seem to remember noticing that.”

Ben frowned. “Poe, nothing personal but I’d prefer not to think about you noticing my junk.”

“Okay, okay. But hear me out.”

Ben rolled his eyes. It was Poe’s trademark opening to some wild-eyed proposal. _What if we broke into the administration building? What if we snatched a six-pack from the 7-11, just for the fuck of it?_

“No,” Ben retorted automatically.

“You haven’t even heard my suggestion!”

“I don’t need to.”

“It’s not that crazy, girls do it all-“

“POE!!” Ben scowled.

Poe took a deep, steadying breath and held Ben’s gaze. He waited for his friend to calm a bit.

“What if I told you, I might have an idea to help you bring in extra money that didn't involve working in the bookstore, or any other store?"

“I’m listening,” Ben said.

“…and what if it allowed you to have some fun, with women. And gain some experience?”

A deep rose flush spread across Ben’s cheeks. Poe already knew about his lack of experience with girls; there wasn’t any point in denying it.

“Yeah?”

Poe smirked. “Ready to listen now?"

++

At the beginning of the spring semester, Ben had moved out the dorms and started staying at nearby air bnb’s. There was a number of large homes off campus that took in students during the school year and charged a modest wage for room and board. Ben found one right before school started and it turned out to be a perfect fit.

The house was a mere three blocks from campus, for starters. It boasted a large, well-appointed kitchen. The homeowner, Amilyn Holdo, encouraged guests to avail themselves of free coffee, breakfast, and snacks. The only thing they really had to worry about was their main meals and their monthly rent, which was more than reasonable. There were four rooms on the second floor; a small office/lounge, a second bathroom, Ben’s room, and another, larger bedroom. That one was taken by a young woman named Rey, who worked part-time at the school library.

It took him some time to get to know Rey Niima. Ben would usually see her in the kitchen, before he left for class, and occasionally in the evenings. She was very shy and quiet, at first. But he could get her to talk to him sometimes, if they were in the kitchen making breakfast or hanging out at the end of the day.

Over time, he learned that she was four years older than him--which would make her 23. She was working on a MFA at Chandrila, but she was taking a break this semester and working on a novel, apparently. 

He was saddened to learn that she had no family, but she said little more by way of explanation.

He’d seen her with her friend, Rose, in the library, but other than that she seemed to be a lone wolf.

And he’d never seen her with any men. No men seemed to visit her at the house, but maybe that was because of Amilyn’s policy. In any case, all evidence pointed to Rey not dating.

It didn’t make sense to him. How could someone that smart and pretty not have men chasing after her all the time?

His eyes lingered on her in the kitchen. She was very natural looking—it was rare that she wore much makeup—and he liked that. He liked to watch her, even when she ignored him, liked her sweet innocent freckles and the pulpy pink lower lip she would chew sometimes when he caught her immersed in writing. Sometimes, in the morning, he would catch her fresh from the shower, in just a t-shirt. The outline of her nipples would taunt him, and he would fantasize about how they would taste, how she would squirm if he put his mouth on them.

She was likely a virgin. Or maybe she didn’t like men. Who knew? It was hard to guess these days.

++

4:32 pm

Hours later, Ben returned to the house. He took the stairs, two at a time, hyped to post his ad on the local website—the section that offered goods and services for sale. As soon as he reached the top step, he saw her standing outside her door, fumbling with the key. He had a few seconds to admire her pretty profile before she turned to meet his eyes. 

  
“Hi,” she said softly, fumbling with the key more aggressively now.

She kept her eyes down, away from him.

  
“Hey,” Ben smiled. “How’s your day g-“

At that moment, her door opened and she slid inside, the lock clicking behind her.

“Okay, well…bye,” he murmured. Then, in a rush of determination, he decided to try again and rapped twice.

“Rey?”

The door opened a couple inches, enough for him to see the way the hallway light highlighted her face and her expressive hazel-green eyes.

“Yes?”

“Uh...see you downstairs later?”

Rey paused. “Yeah. Sure.” She nodded and the door jerked shut.

Ben stared at the closed door for a moment, dumbstruck, then shook it off. So nervous. Lacking in trust. He could only begin to imagine what would make a person so closed.

But she was just like him, wasn’t she? So much like him it hurt.

He moved down the hall to his room and closed his own door.

Thirty minutes later, he texted Poe to share the ad with him. It was his idea, after all.

**Need a Date?**

  
**College student here. 19, fit and good-looking (at least that’s what my friends say). Available for weddings or special occasions.**

  
**I’m actually a nice guy. Price is negotiable.**

**This is a real ad. Serious inquiries only pls.**

  
Ben reread it and rolled his eyes. He realized it sounded ridiculous, but he what did he have to lose?

Poe had reminded him not to use his regular email so he devised a new one on the kyber.com server. He doubted there would be many results right away, but he would remember to check it every few hours.

7: 14 pm

Ben wandered down the steps and headed straight for the kitchen. Rey was standing at the stove stirring a pot. She wore a soft yellow, terry cloth robe, her wet hair hung in loose waves to her shoulders. She didn’t seem to notice his approach, until the last moment when he was standing a mere two feet away and her eyes snapped up to meet him.

“Hey,” Ben tried with a roguish grin. “What ya making?”

Rey pursed her lips. “Mac and cheese. I mean, I get sick of it, but who has the time or energy to cook?” she huffed, flashing him a sly smile before turning her attention back to the pot.

It wasn’t much, but it was enough. Gotta start somewhere.

“I know what you mean,” he nodded. Ben cleared his throat. “So….any plans tonight?”

Rey chuckled. “Yeah, because obviously I’m miss social butterfly and go out every night,” she grimaced.

Ben rested his hip against the counter, watching her. “How come you never go out?”

“Um, no one asks me,” she snapped as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

He shook his head. He was not going to let fear dissuade him. Not this time.

“I don’t get it. Any guy would be lucky to go out with you. You’re so...smart..."

Rey’s eyes flickered to him.

“…. and pretty,” he added. Her lips parted in surprise and he stared, throat bobbing. 

She snorted, turning away abruptly and snatching the gas off. Ben’s mouth dropped open—had he said something wrong? He watched, dumbfounded, as she scooped up a big bowl of mac and cheese. She had shut him down. Again..

“You don’t have to do that,” she mumbled.

Ben scrubbed a hand over his face. “Do what?”

“Try to make me feel better.”

 _Shit. What the hell?_ Obviously, he had upset her, the last thing he wanted to do. He had to make it right.

“Rey, I wasn’t trying to make you feel better. I just think y--"

She sailed past him and was halfway down the hall, bowl and spoon in hand. There was the sound of her feet padding up the stairs, followed by a slamming door.

_Fuck._

9:05pm

Ben settled back in his comfy blue bean bag chair and logged into the Chandrila U student network with his new, temporary email address. He wasn’t expecting much, really. But there were already a few replies to the ad.

He clicked on them, one at a time.

The first was from someone with the username fazz_19. It was a snippy reply, taunting him about the audacity of his offer and suggesting he sod off, if he thought he had the right to ask any woman or girl to pay him for a date. It was so cutting, Ben winced and deleted it immediately.

The second was clearly from a guy, and Ben was seriously not interested in going down that road…in a manner of speaking.

The third was an ad.

Ugh.

He shook his head. Well, it had only been a few hours. If nothing panned out by tomorrow, he’d just take it down. He logged off and scrolled to Netflix. He was supposed to watch the rest of _The French_ _Connection_ for his Film and Literature class, and he had a ways to go. He found the spot where he’d paused, right when Popeye Doyle asks a suspect, “Did you pick your toes in Poughkeepsie?”

Ben let out a hoot of laughter but immediately caught himself, not wanting to disturb anyone else on the floor. Well…..the only other person on the floor. He glanced at the bedside clock; It wasn’t that late, after all. He wondered what she was doing right now, alone in her room. Probably reading. Anytime he saw her, she was either reading or writing, it seemed. Must be lonely. Didn’t she get…horny? The thought sent a spike of lust through his body. Maybe she read erotica. Maybe she owned a vibrator, or….

Suddenly, he was was half-hard.

He paused the movie again and switched to porn. The girl in the video was loud, and he started thinking about what kinds of sounds Rey would make if he had his mouth on her. He got off so fast thinking of her, it was almost embarrassing.

Ten minutes later, he was asleep.

++

Thursday, 8:30am

There were no new messages in the morning. Ben texted Poe to let him know it was a failed enterprise.

“Wait, did you include a pic?”

“Of course not!” Ben bristled.

“Not of your _face,_ asswipe. From the neck down. Shirtless. 

Oh. He hadn’t thought of that.

Ben tugged off his shirt and took a few photos of his chest and arms to post alongside the ad. He had been working on his chest and arms lately, so there was some definition to show off. 

He’d give it a few hours before checking again. When he made his way down to the kitchen, Rey was at the table, pouring herself some Cheerios. 

“Hey,” he said.

She bit her lip, nodded. “Morning.”

“Any coffee?”

“It’s made.”

“Good. I gotta get out of here,” he grumbled. As he poured a cup, his eyes kept returning to Rey. She thumbed through the pages of a notebook with one hand while the other spooned up her Cheerios. His eyes wandered over her briefly; she was wearing her usual black leggings and baggy sweater, nothing special, but for some reason, being around her made his skin tingle. He walked over to the table and stood beside her, trying to sneak a glance at her notebook. Rey caught on and her eyes flickered up to his, accusation written in them.

“What—"

“Oh, sorry. I didn’t see anything. So, how’s the writing going?” 

“It’s going,” she shrugged.

“Can I read some?”

Rey chuckled. “No way,” she said, throwing him an amused grin. “At least not now. It’s in the early stages. I’d never share a draft like this with anyone—too raw.”

He was following along fine until he heard the word _raw_ and his mind went in a different direction.

“Are you really interested?” she prodded.

“Yeah. Why wouldn’t I be?”

She cocked an eyebrow at him. "It’s not just a ploy to get into my pants, is it?”

Ben’s brow darkened. “No, of course not,” he replied with a shake of his head.

_Although…._

“You’re staring.”

“Oh, I—uh, sorry,” he mumbled. “What’s it about? Your story.”

She sighed. “In a nutshell?”

“Yeah.”

Finally, she met his eyes. “It’s about a boy who was abandoned by his parents at a young age and doesn’t know why. The action starts when he’s a teenager, trying to figure out his place in the world. And there are a lot of…..flashbacks, dreams and that sort of thing.”

Ben’s mouth dropped open. The familiarity of the story was strangely disturbing.

“What?” she asked.

“Nothing,” he lied. “I’d like to read it. You know, if you ever decide you’re ready to share.”

A little smile tugged at the corners of her pretty mouth. "Okay.”

Ben grabbed his mug and stood awkwardly. “Shit, I need to get to class. See ya later.”

“Later, Ben.”

++

4:35pm

New responses had started to trickle in, once he added the photos. There were four new ones, two from fellow students at Chandrila and one from a random girl in the area. All of them included photos.

Hmm. Now, we’re getting somewhere, Ben smiled to himself.

He responded to each of the messages. One girl, Bazine, sent her cell number and asked her to text him. He gathered his courage and sent her a message. 

They chatted online for awhile. He could tell she was from a wealthy family, by the way she tossed around the names of designer products she favored. She said she needed a date to a family function and wanted her stepdad to think she had a boyfriend—she didn’t say why. But it sounded good enough to Ben, so he invited her to come by the house that evening for coffee around 7:30.

He realized that Rey would probably be around at that time, too. But he wasn’t going to worry about that at the moment.

  
Amilyn’s house rule was that outside visitors could visit only downstairs. If a renter wanted to have an overnight visitor, they would have to inform her beforehand.

6:30pm

Ben hadn’t seen Rey in the kitchen that evening while he heated up his leftover takeout. He wondered if she had gone out on this particular night. Funny. _The girl who never goes out happens to go out on the night that I actually have company?_

He laughed softly at the irony.

A little after 7, Ben was camped out at the dining room table, finishing some Chemistry homework. Amilyn was a nurse, so she worked all kinds of crazy hours; when she was home, she was usually puttering around the kitchen or resting before her next twelve-hour shift at the hospital. 

The doorbell rang about ten after, startling him. Bazine was early then. He stalked down the hall to open the door and there was Rey, digging in her purse, looking frustrated. It was warm for a March evening, and she wore only a light jacket over her t-shirt and jeans.

“Thanks. Forgot my keys," she muttered.

Ben nodded mutely and stepped aside to let her enter.

She went straight for the fridge while Ben padded back to the table, chewing the inside of his cheek.

“Damn, should have gone to the store,” she sighed, more to herself than to him.

He raised his eyebrows. “I have some leftovers. Fried rice?”

She paused, considering. She _was_ hungry. “You sure?”

“Of course. Spare ribs, too, if you want."

Rey hummed and licked her lips and he felt a stirring in his groin. What the fuck was _wrong_ with him? He was just too fucking horny for his own good.

“Thanks. That's really nice of you,” she smiled, and he felt warmth bloom in his chest. 

Ben shrugged. “No biggie.”

Rey grabbed a plate from the cabinet and watched while he dished up the food for and stuck it in the microwave. As she stood waiting, her eyes wandered back to his.

“So...how was your day?”

“Eh, okay. Usual shit. Oh, and I should mention I have a visitor coming in a bit.”

She raised her eyebrows. “A visitor?”

“Yeah. We’ll need the table for awhile. Won’t take long though."

Rey’s jaw tightened and she nodded.

“What time is your _visitor_ coming?” she bit out. 

“She should be here at 7:30, but you’re more than welcome to sit and eat…”

He was interrupted by the beeping of the microwave and went to remove it. He dished the steaming contents onto a plate and held it out to her.

Rey nodded and took the plate from him, murmuring her thanks. She sat down and glanced over at him expectantly. 

"Did you eat already?"

"I did, yeah."

He watched as she tore into her food with gusto, and he couldn't help but smile. Rey always seemed to eat as if her food might run away from her. 

“So, hey I was thinking,” she started.

“Yeah?”

“If you still want to read some of my book, I think I’d be willing to share it with you. I can email it, if you want to give me some con crit.”

He raised his eyebrows in surprise. “Yeah? That would be great. I’m not the best reader, but I’ll do my best.”

“Not the best reader?” she echoed.

“I don’t read much. Science geek and all,” he clarified.

“Gotcha."

Rey regarded him thoughtfully as he scribbled something down on a piece of loose-leaf and tore it off for her.

“That’s my email.”

As she glanced at it, her eyebrows shot up. “Your last name is Solo?”

“Yeah. Why?”

Rey stared at him long and hard and let out a small gasp. She stared at him in a way that she never had before. 

“Shit. Ben Solo. You’re Professor Solo’s son….right? Philosophy department?"

Ben exhaled heavily. _Okay_ _. Here we go._

“Yeah,” he said darkly. “Unfortunately.”

“I don’t know why I didn’t see it before,” she muttered. "You do favor him, that's for sure."

They were still staring at each other when the doorbell rang. Damn. 

“I guess that's your visitor. I'll get out of your hair." She rose without hesitation, taking the plate with her. 

"Um...okay. Thanks."

"Thanks again, for dinner,” Rey said softly.

By the time Ben answered the door and walked down the hall with Bazine, Rey was halfway up the stairs.

A little over an hour later, Ben had finished his little conference and Bazine had gone. They had a date for a big family dinner that was supposed to happen in two weeks, and he would go as her "boyfriend." Seemed like she was trying to piss off her stepfather and make someone else jealous, but Ben really wasn't interested in her reasoning. She had agreed to $30 an hour, and since it sounded like a long evening, he figured it would be a quick $100 or more, depending.

  
Bazine was pretty and chatty, but she was not his type. Way too superficial. But it would be good money, and a good experience. Overall, a win-win, right?

He sat downstairs and watched a rerun of _Chicago Fire_ before heading upstairs to his room. Rey hadn’t reappeared and he didn’t want to bothe her. The house was still empty, just the two of them, but he knew he should get to bed before too late. He had an early class on Fridays.

Ben walked down the hallway to his room, passing Rey’s on the way. He paused, wondering if he should knock and try to continue their conversation. Then he heard a noise—fairly faint, but unmistakable.

The soft whirr of something electric….

He pressed his ear to the door and heard her. Short little breaths, like she was…exercising. But no…

  
Ben swallowed hard, his mind short circuiting at the noises she was making. She sounded so… _needy._

  
He felt the blood rush south straight to his dick, his mouth going dry at the same time. Fuck if he wasn’t dying to see her right then, see what she was doing, watch as she slowly fell apart. Instead, he had to settle for the lurid pictures painted by his mind’s eye, and the wish that he could be the one making her moan and cry his name. 

  
Ben was instantly swept with an overwhelming temptation to push the door open, consumed with a desperate desire to see her like she was right then. The door was probably locked anyway. But he could knock-- _Christ, get it together. You can’t._

  
He forced himself away from her door and down the hall to his own room. Once he was inside, he could breathe again. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sapiosexual (n). A person who finds intelligence sexually attractive or arousing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soo.....this where the walls will start coming down and Rey and Ben will get closer. Muuch closer.

Ben managed to slow his breathing and ignore his throbbing hard-on, for the time being. 

  
His figured it was the perfect time to check to see if there were any new responses to the ad. Maybe he should stop fixating on Rey—she sure didn’t seem interested in anything other than friendship. There was always a chance he might meet someone else that way, and maybe they could date, for real.

Or maybe he could just get laid. That would work, too.

He settled back on the bed with his laptop and logged into his personal account first. There was a new message from scavenger@kyber.com. The subject line was: “Chapter drafts”. So she had sent them. He opened the file eagerly, fingers drumming on his thigh.

By the time he reached the bottom of the first page, he knew she was a good writer.

When he finished the first chapter, he knew he was dangerously close to falling in love with the author.

Friday, 1:32 pm

The campus cafe

“So, how did it go?”

Poe was watching him across the table with big eyes.

Ben gave a little shrug. “Okay. She’s cute. We’re going to some big family gathering and she wants to piss off her stepfather or something, so….”

Poe watched him with genuine amusement as he chewed a bite of his burger. “Cute?”

“Yeah. Not my type really, but…”

“So what? You’re just having fun, right? Why not get some pussy in the bargain?”

"We’ll see, but I have the feeling that’s not what she’s looking for. She’s trying to make someone jealous. A cousin, or something.”

“Her _cousin?_ Damn, what a dirty girl!” Poe grinned. “She go to CU?”

Ben bit his lip. “Yeah, she does. Political Science major.”

Poe’s eyebrows shot up. “No way. What’s her name?”

As the team quarterback, Poe seemed to know half the girls at Chandrila. And even the ones he didn’t know, knew him.

“Bazine.”

Poe settled back and stared at Ben for a long moment.

“Bazine Netal? Oh, she’s a hottie. I would definitely tap that. And she’s no virgin either.”

Ben chuckled. "I’ve already got my eye on someone,” he said softly.

“Oh yeah? Who?”

Ben smiled slyly. “No one you know."

“Oh, I’ll get it out of you, one way or another.”

7:25 pm, Friday evening.

Ben descended the stairs for the kitchen and was thrilled to see Rey there, digging items out of the fridge.

“Hey, you,” he called, and she jumped. Her eyes flickered to him and he chuckled. “Sorry.”

“No biggie,” she murmured. Rey uncorked a bottle of white wine and filled a glass to the brim.

Ben barked a laugh. “Thirsty, Rey?”

She shot him a look. “I like to relax on a Friday night, that okay with you?”

“Of course.”

He definitely had some ideas about how to help her _relax._

“Would you like some?”

“Sure,” he nodded.

“Grab a glass.” Ben handed her one and she poured. “So…where’s your girlfriend tonight?” she asked, cocking an eyebrow at him.

Ben frowned. _Girlfriend?_ Did she mean…

“Oh, no, no—Bazine's not my girlfriend,” he clarified. Rey’s eyes simmered back at him as she sipped her wine.

“Fuck buddy?”

He didn’t think he’d ever heard her say the word _fuck_ before. It sounded dirty, coming out of her sweet mouth. Hot.

“Just a—friend. I’m just helping her with something.”

He couldn’t begin to imagine that telling her the truth—that he had hired himself out as Bazine’s date—would make him look any better in Rey’s eyes.

Rey chuckled. _“Something,”_ she mocked.

“Uh huh.” His eyes followed her as she crossed the room and settled into the couch. When she looked back at him, her eyes held an unfamiliar heat, and it sent a little flutter of anticipation to his stomach.

“You’re not being straight with me, Ben,” she chided.

He raised his eyebrows. “Sorry?”

“Well, I shared a raw draft with you. That’s not something I do, like, _ever._ So I think it would be only fair if you came clean with me about your…” she swirled her wine-“ _visitor.”_

  
Ben was caught off guard. Not only was he not used to seeing her this relaxed, but there was a new challenge in her voice, in her eyes that suggested maybe her interest in him was more than friendly.

Suddenly, the previous night’s revelation flashed back in his head and he pushed it away. It wouldn’t do to sprout an erection right in front of her while they were talking.

  
He sighed. “ _Fine.”_

She listened patiently while he explained Poe’s little hair-brained scheme—wincing, because he was sure she would be appalled. When he finished, he gulped the last of his wine and sat back on the couch waiting for the inevitable acid reaction.

It never came.

“Hmm.”

Ben huffed. “That’s it? Just hmm?”

She cackled. “Well, what do you want me to say?”

He paused. “I don’t know. I was sure you’d think it was ridiculous. Or…I don't know."

Rey shrugged and raised her glass, draining the little bit left. “I’m really not in the position to judge,” she said.

Ben wasn’t exactly sure what that meant, but it was enough to know she wasn’t thoroughly disgusted with him over it.

“What does that mean?”

She stared at him, narrowing her eyes a bit. Her voice, with the soft lilting British accent erupted in a sexy chuckle. “You know what? I think we need to open another bottle. I had one saved in there.”

“Alright.”

White burgundy wouldn’t have been his first choice on a Friday night, but it wasn’t half bad after all. And there was the fact that he was sitting across from this amazing girl he’d been crushing on for the past few months-and she was _finally_ opening up.

Hell, he probably would have sipped on gasoline, if she suggested it.

Rey opened the fresh bottle and carried it over to the couch. He was once again struck by how she could make just a sweater and leggings look hot.

He waited til she had poured glasses for each of them and settled back on the couch.

“So, what did you mean by that?” he prodded.

Rey rolled her eyes. "You're really not going to let it go, are you?"

Ben smiled.

“Well, what did you _think_ I meant?"

He shrugged innocently. He needed to hear her say it.

“Oh come on, Ben. You know I don’t date. I know you think I’m… _uptight.”_

His throat bobbed. “I don’t think that.”

“Well…maybe you don’t, but a lot of people do. I’m the only one of my friends who’s still a virgin.”

There it was.

“Yeah?” he gulped his wine and tried to look surprised.

Rey shook in head in disbelief. “Don’t tell me you’re surprised,” she blurted.

“Well, yes and no,” he supplied.

“You know, it’s funny. When I was in your dad’s class, I had a little crush on him.”

She wore a little smile as she said it, along with a distant look in her eyes, as if she was remembering what it was like to be in his class.

“Hmm.” Ben sniffed. It was his turn to draw back a little, and he took a gulp of his wine, eyes averted.

“Sorry if that’s weird.” Rey’s voice welled up, a gentle apology as he sat stewing a bit. When he met her eyes again, they were soft and pleading.

“Nah, it’s fine.” Ben’s body tensed the way it always did when he talked about his parents. “You’d be surprised how many girls-uh, women, have told me the same thing. I get it. He’s good looking, he’s…charming, to other people. But you have no idea what it was like to grow up with him."

He gulped his wine, hoping to summon some courage from its depths.

“Yeah…I understand what you mean. But really, it wasn’t his looks or his charm, not for me anyway. I mean, I noticed those things. But I’m….I’ve always been attracted to intelligence.”

“Really?”

"Yeah. I'm a Sapiosexual."

"A what, now?"

“It might sound funny, but that’s the way I am. Brainy men turn me on. I can’t even tell you how long I’ve had a crush on Bill Nye, the Science Guy.”

Ben laughed softly.

“Anyway, when I was an undergrad, most of the guys I liked weren’t interested in me. And the ones that were interested..." she shook her head. "just weren't my brand of vodka."

“Wow,” Ben muttered, aware that his sudden lack of eloquence was having the opposite of the desired effect.

“So, I guess you wouldn’t be interested in a guy like me then,” he breathed, suddenly brave.

Rey stared back, lips parted. “And why would you say that? Mister scholarship," she quipped.

Ben rolled his tongue around in his cheek.

“So you… would?”

“I would.”

“Be interested…?"

“Yes...very."

They sat locked in an intense gaze. The words drifted through his mind, but he wasn't ready to say them. Not yet. 

“What did you think of the chapters?” she smiled, breaking the spell.

Ben huffed a laugh at the break in tension.

“I think you’re really talented,” he said. “I’d love to read more.”

“Really? You’re not just being nice?”

He chuckled. “No, Rey. I mean it.”

They talked for more than three hours. Rey told him how she discovered at age twelve that she could pour her fears and desires out on the page, and that she’d been writing ever since. Ben shared stories about growing up, his father’s emotional unavailability and how his parents had first separated when he was fourteen. His mother was a highly respected attorney who had less and less time for him, once she was elected to the city council. He told her about how, at seventeen, and his friend Hux stole a car and went joyriding around the city at breakneck speed.

"Not one of my proudest moments," he sighed.

Of course, they were caught. The judge let them off easy (he was the son of Leia Organa, after all).

They ordered pizza with mushrooms and peppers and Rey ate three slices, shocking him.

“I don’t know where you put it,” he muttered in awe.

“I have a high metabolism."

Amilyn had drifted in around ten or so, had a glass of wine with them and then retreated to her room.

It was nearly eleven, the wine and pizza finished, when they found themselves seated side by side, thighs touching. Ben felt a throb in his groin at being so close to her—wondering where it could go.

His hands ached to touch her.

“What happens next?” Rey asked curiously.

He couldn’t help but stare, her pretty hazel eyes wide, pupils blown, as she stared back.

“I dunno. What do you _want_ to happen?”

She looked away then. “Can’t say. I’ve never done any of this before.”

Ben swallowed hard. “Well…you’ve gone on dates, right?”

“A few, here and there. It's been awhile."

“And you’ve been kissed…”

“Yeah.”

“Made out?”

She gave a quick, short shake of her head. “Not really. Got as far as second base, I guess.”

Ben chuckled. “Shit. Second base. Haven’t heard that in a looong time.”

She raised her eyebrows in mock insult. “Are you implying that I’m _old?”_

“No, ma’am,” he grinned. “Besides, I like older women.”

She scoffed playfully and was unprepared when Ben’s lips crashed into hers. It was gentle at first, just the touch of soft lips, and then he deepened it. A moan caught in her throat as she opened herself to him, letting him taste her. The sound lit a new fire, making him bold, and his hand landed on her thigh, thumb rubbing lazy circles. When his lips found her neck to kiss and suck there, she shivered against him.

"I can't believe this is happening," he murmured into her skin. "I've been thinking about doing this for awhile."

"You _have?"_ her voice was surprisingly girlish and soft and he realized: she had _no idea._

Ben pulled back to look into her eyes. "How can you not know?" he whispered.

"Not know?"

"Mhm, how beautiful you are. Seriously, you're...." he was shaking his head. "...intoxicating."

_"Me?"_

He chuckled softly. "Yeah, silly. _You."_

"Oh, Ben. Let's go up."

"Your room or mine?" he said into her ear, causing another shudder of delight to go through her. 

They made their way upstairs, hand in hand, and Rey drew him to her room. 

She fell back on the bed and looked up at him playfully. "What are you gonna do with me, Mr. Solo, hm?"

"Well, if it's okay with you, I'd like to taste you." 

Rey flushed and looked away, a soft laugh of embarrassment welling up. 

She was so fucking adorable, he thought his heart would stop. 

"I really want to." He was so earnest and sweet she looked back at him. "Is that okay?" 

She gave a soft murmur of assent and he nodded happily. 

"Take off your leggings. And your panties."

Biting her lip, she did as she was told. And then she was completely bare from the waist down, lying on the bed before him, so vulnerable, so open, so...

"Lovely," he murmured. He settled between her legs, pawing her hand away when she tried to cover herself. 

"Has anyone seen you like this before?" he asked, looking up at her through hooded eyes, voice heavy with lust. 

Rey shook her head no. 

Ben licked his lips. "How did I get to be so lucky?" he smiled, eyes shining up at her. He trailed a long finger up her inner thigh. Embarrassed, she looked away. 

"Look at me, Rey." 

She did. 

"I want you to watch me, keep your eyes on me for as long as you can. Okay, sweetheart?"

"Okay," she managed weakly. 

The roughness of his beard against her thighs was delicious. Rey had always liked facial hair on men, and she thought it looked so sexy on Ben. 

"Your....your beard," she managed. "It's so sexy."

Ben grinned wildly. "Yeah? You'll definitely feel it," he said. "I promise."

He lifted one of her legs over his shoulder, moving closer until his nose was almost touching her pussy. Rey felt so self conscious, she wanted to screw her eyes shut, but she managed to keep them open for him. When he licked a broad stripe right between her lips, ending on her clit, her body jolted. He repeated it , eyes crinkling at her little noises of pleasure. He rubbed his face, rough stubble and all, against her inner thigh, and Rey wondered why she had waited so long to experience anything like this in life. 

"Fuck," she squeaked.

"You like that?"

"Yes.... _really good,_ Ben," she moaned as he started to lap at her folds.

"You're so wet. So sweet." 

"Ben... _.Ben..."_

 _"Mm..._ like strawberries....." he hummed against her, the vibrations sending shockwaves of pleasure through her. 

Rey was nearly beside herself; she'd never felt anything like _this._

Ben raised his head, his lips and beard beaded with her moisture. "Like strawberries, on a summer evening," he murmured softly against her skin.

"Don't...don't stop, _please...._ " 

"Oh, I'm just getting started."

Rey could only lie there while he worked magic on her with his soft lips and wet tongue, soon adding one finger, and then another. She yelped at the intrusion of the second, they were so thick, so much bigger than her own. And it was nothing like her vibrator, either....he was soft and warm, and _Ben._ She did her best to keep her eyes open, but they kept fluttering, almost closing, with each new wave of pleasure that washed through her. At some point he shifted his angle, and his mouth was wrapped around her clit, his eyes locked on hers, and she felt the pressure building. 

"Yes....yes, _keep going_.....I'm close, so close."

This beautiful, sweet man had his mouth on her, and his sole focus at that moment was making her feel good.....it was a heady feeling.

 _Come for me_ , he said, not with words but with his eyes, and she shattered. Her body drew up on itself in a sharp convulsion, head falling back as a galaxy of stars exploded inside her. 

Ben lay beside her, stroking her hair softly as she came down. When she opened her eyes again, deliciously spent and absolutely at peace, he smiled at her.

"You enjoyed that, huh?" 

She pressed her lids closed. "You're not allowed to be smug," she scolded. "Just because you made me feel things that no one ever has."

Ben chuckled softly and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "Okay."

A few moments later, her eyes flew open. "We're still gonna do it....right?"

"If you want to," he swallowed. 

"Do you?"

He huffed. "Did you _really_ just ask me that?"

In answer, Rey rocked herself closer to him, catching his lower lip in her teeth. Ben hissed softly, waiting to be released so he could feast on her mouth some more. Suddenly she pulled back and fisted at his shirt. 

"Take this off. And the rest of it. I want to touch you."

"Yes, ma'am," he grinned. 

He stripped off his henley, jeans and his boxers in record time. There he was, kneeling on the bed in front of her, completely naked. Rey's breath hitched as she stared at the huge thing between his legs that she hoped wouldn't hurt and would bring her to heights of sensation she'd only imagined. 

She reached out to stroke it, delighting in the velvety texture and his soft rumble of pleasure.

He leaned over to take a nipple between his lips, drawing a low moan from Rey as he thumbed at its twin. 

"You ready for me, sweet girl?" Ben said thickly, and she was elated to hear the desire lodged in his throat. Rey had never felt so wanted, so cherished, before. She nodded, shifting back on the bed, suppliant.

"Shit. I need a condom. Need to run to my room really quick."

Ben rose and was halfway to the door when the sound of her voice made him pause. 

"When did you last have sex? I mean, it's okay, if you're clean. I'm on the pill."

He raised his eyebrows. "Really?

"It regulates my cycle," she explained. "So I'm good, unless you've been a fucking _manwhore_ , in which case yes, please go get the condoms."

Ben grinned, moving back to kiss her jaw again. "I'm not... _not_ a manwhore. I promise."

"Okay, then."

Ben shuffled back into position between her legs and looked up at her. "Tell me to stop if it's too much, okay? 

She nodded, trusting him completely.

He sucked on her neck and dragged his aching cock through her folds, coating himself in her juices. 

"Fuck, Rey. Is this all for _me?"_

"It is," she assured. "I promise."

He broke the surface, both of them groaning at the same time at the feel of it...the intense warmth and closeness. He took her slowly, an inch at a time, as gently as he could. He waited, in case a sign came to tell him to stop-- but it didn't come. 

He felt her pussy swallowing him up, enclosing him in her wet heat, and it was almost too much. 

"You're.. you're _incredible,_ " he groaned. 

Finally, he bottomed out, stilling for a moment. Her soft eyes told him to keep going, and he moved again, drawing out slowly before thrusting back into her. He did it again and again, his thrusts growing a little rougher and she let out a little cry.

"You okay?" he stopped all movement, eyes drilling into hers.

"Yes...Ben, keep....keep going."

He snapped his hips. "Good?"

"Oh, Ben....so _good."_

After a few more sharp thrusts he rolled her over. "I want you to come on my cock this time," he growled. "I want to _feel_ it."

She shook her head, feeling more exposed in this position. 

"Touch yourself. You can do it."

She pressed down on her swollen bud and whimpered a little.

"That's it.....keep going." 

Holding her hips, he thrust up into her, pushing her closer and closer to the edge. 

"You're doing so well," he panted. 

_"Ben...I'm--"_

_"Yes,_ baby....let go. Come for me."

And she was off, shooting back into the stratosphere. The feel of her clenching around him, and the look on her face at that moment--he lost it, coming right after her.

They lay together in a sweaty heap, cocooned in bliss. He held her tight against his chest for a long time, neither one feeling the need to speak. 

"Well now I see..." Rey said softly.

"See?"  
  
"What all the fuss is about."

Ben chuckled and stroked her back. After another moment she sat up and looked at him.

"I'm really glad that it happened with you."

He nodded. "Me too. I was really hoping you'd come around. It took awhile."

It was her turn to grin. "Thank you for your patience."

"You're worth waiting for." 

Tuesday afternoon, 12:15 

The campus cafe

Poe was sitting at their usual table with a ridiculously large serving of nachos. He looked up when Ben wandered over, his arm around Rey. 

Poe's eyes widened.   
  
"Hi guys," he said in surprise.

"Poe, this is Rey."

She smiled shyly. "Hi."

"Hi, Rey. Have a seat, have some nachos." He shook his head. "I shouldn't be eating all this anyway." 

He looked up to see Ben reach over and take Rey's hand.

"So, is the mystery lady you mentioned?" Poe pressed.

"The very one."

"You work fast, dude," he said.

Rey and Ben locked eyes and both burst into laughter. Poe instantly felt like a third wheel. 

"So listen, about that thing with Bazine," Ben said.

"Yeah?"

"I'm out. I signed on for a job at the library. I'll just have to work more hours, but at least I'll be able to spend time with Rey." 

"Ah. I understand," Poe nodded. "Well, I'm happy for you. Both of you."

"But, you can take over, if you like. Just ask her. I'm sure she'd say yes." 

"Hmm...yeah that....that might work, I guess...." Poe mumbled. 

Rey and Ben were staring at each other like there was no one else around for miles. 

"Cool. I'll send her an email and give her your number. I already took down the ad."

"Alright then," Poe said. He couldn't help but smile at the look of pure happiness on Ben's face. "God. You two..."

They both turned.

"....are so disgustingly... _cute._ Get out of my sight, Solo. _Begone._ Go get a room."

Rey bit her lip and Ben smiled.

"Now that's an idea," he said. 

fin

**Author's Note:**

> "Watermelon Sugar," Harry Styles. Fine Line, Erskine/Columbia Records, 2017.


End file.
